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The formation of cholesterol gallstones involves very complex imbalances, such as alterations in the secretion of biliary lipids (which involves the ABCG5, ABCG8, ABCB4 and ABCB11 transporters), biochemical and immunological reactions in the gallbladder that produce biliary sludge (mucins), physicochemical changes in the structure of cholesterol (crystallization), alterations in gallbladder motility, changes in the intestinal absorption of cholesterol (ABCG5/8 transporters and Niemann-Pick C1L1 protein) and alterations in small intestine motility. Some of these proteins have been studied at the clinical and experimental levels, but more research is required. In this review, we discuss the results of studies on some molecules involved in the pathophysiology of gallstones that may be future therapeutic targets to prevent the development of this disease, and possible sites for treatment based mainly on the absorption of intestinal cholesterol (Niemann-Pick C1L1 and ABCG5/8 proteins)., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The formation of cholesterol gallstones is a very complex and polygenic disorder that involves an alteration of the secretion of bile lipids, cholesterol crystallization, important immunological reactions in the gallbladder tissue, formation of biliary sludge composed of mucin, and inadequate gallbladder motility. The search for a therapeutic target is oriented towards decreasing bile secretion and intestinal absorption of cholesterol, in which Niemann-Pick C1L1 (NPC1L1) proteins play an important role. In basic and clinical studies, regulating the expression of these proteins can reduce intestinal, liver, plasma and bile cholesterol levels, a therapeutic effect that would be useful not only for treating the disease, but to prevent it, given the large quantity of risk factors. We discuss these effects in this review and propose NPC1L1 proteins as future therapeutic targets of cholesterol gallstones disease., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The ability of vaginocervical stimulation (VCS) to promote olfactory social recognition memory at different stages of the ovarian cycle was investigated in female rats. A juvenile social recognition paradigm was used and memory retention tested at 30 and 300 min after an adult was exposed to a juvenile during three 4-min trials. Results showed that an intact social recognition memory was present at 30 min in animals with or without VCS and at all stages of the estrus cycle. However, whereas no animals in any stage of the estrus cycle showed retention of the specific recognition memory at 300 min, those in the proestrus/estrus phase that received VCS 10 min before the trial started did. In vivo microdialysis studies showed that there was a significant release of oxytocin after VCS in the olfactory bulb during proestrus. There was also increased oxytocin immunoreactivity within the olfactory bulb after VCS in proestrus animals compared with diestrus ones. Furthermore, when animals received an infusion of an oxytocin antagonist directly into the olfactory bulb, or a systemic administration of alpha or beta noradrenaline-antagonists, they failed to show evidence for maintenance of a selective olfactory recognition memory at 300 min. Animals with vagus or pelvic nerve section also showed no memory retention when tested after 300 min. These results suggest that VCS releases oxytocin in the olfactory bulb to enhance the social recognition memory and that this may be due to modulatory actions on noradrenaline release. The vagus and pelvic nerves are responsible for carrying the information from the pelvic area to the CNS.